Involving local communities

"We place great emphasis on co-ordinating our work with the communities that we are trying to help.” explains Oxfam’s Charles Dashe, (pictured).

 “That way, we can make sure that we are really addressing their needs.” Here we see Charles consulting with a Women’s Group.

We also involve people in our construction work. We have trained local craftspeople to make latrine shelters; we then buy directly from them.

Photo: Alun McDonald

Providing essential water supplies

One of our key roles is the management and provision of water.

A tank like this one at Kalma camp, Darfur, can hold 45,000 litres of water.

In September 2004, Bredjing camp, Chad, was becoming seriously overcrowded. By locating new water sources and drilling bore holes, Oxfam engineers were instrumental in enabling 15,000 people to move to a new camp.

Photo: Adrian McIntyre

Ensuring a plentiful supply

Here, the Oxfam drilling team is setting up a new borehole to provide water to families in Um Dukhun, Darfur.

Providing additional water to towns, where resources are already overstretched by the influx of thousands of people, is essential. Oxfam has constructed more than 50 boreholes in the area.

Photo: Alun McDonald

Encouraging good hygiene

We set up community health committees, and organise regular community clean-up campaigns in the camps.

Here a group of women sweep the camp from top to bottom, singing as they brush.

We have recruited teams of latrine attendants who keep the toilet facilities clean, and encourage their proper use. We use songs, poems, music and drama to help the children learn how best to stay healthy.

Photo: Alun McDonald

Passing on the message

Traditional Darfuri singer, Umharif, (pictured) works with Oxfam to sing songs and play music about good health and hygiene.

“Sometimes lectures, classes or group discussions are not the best way of getting messages across,” says health promoter Shilham. “If we can make the activities more appealing through singing and drumming, and if people remember what we are telling them, that helps our work a lot.”

Photo: Nikki Bennett

Distributing essential items

Nights in Darfur can be bitterly cold. Most people arrive with nothing. We have distributed blankets, and other essential supplies.

Here in Kalma camp, Darfur, a group of displaced women leave a distribution area balancing buckets full of clothing and household items on their heads.

Photo: Marguerite Hondow

Increasing safety

Women risk being assaulted when collecting water and firewood. We plan our work to reduce women’s risk of being attacked.

We site water points and latrines close to dwellings to reduce the risk of violence.

In 2005, women in Kebkabiya town were taught how to make fuel-efficient stoves from locally-available materials. Less firewood used means fewer trips outside the town, reducing the risk of being attacked.

Photo: Eva-Lotta Jansson/Oxfam America

Reducing reliance on aid

We are training people to make useful items, like bricks, bowls or pots from readily available natural resources

As the conflict continues, reducing reliance on humanitarian aid becomes increasingly important.

Fatima (pictured) has been working with Oxfam to build pottery household water filters to sell.

After discussion with local communities, and when the security situation has allowed, we have distributed tools and animals.

Photo: Nikki Bennett

Looking to the future

Oxfam is planning to provide humanitarian aid to displaced people in Darfur and Chad for the foreseeable future as the violence goes on.

This mother and her daughter arrived in Abu Shouk camp, Darfur, in July 2004. Two million people like them are likely to have to remain in camps for some time to come.

We will continue to work internationally to call for an immediate end to the violence, and for the strengthening of peacekeeping forces in Darfur to ensure the protection of civilians.

Photo: Adrian McIntyre